The three federal judges who ordered North Carolina General Assembly maps be redrawn by March 15 and special elections for dozen of legislative seats this fall won't block its own ruling from taking effect.

The panel denied Wednesday last month's request by attorneys for Republican legislative leaders and the state to set aside the redistricting and elections schedule the judges created last month. The judges last August initially found nearly 30 state House and Senate districts were illegal racial gerrymanders.

Wednesday's ruling is separate from a pending request by the state's attorneys at the U.S. Supreme Court seeking a similar delay.

The three judges wrote the number of gerrymandered districts warrants quick relief to voters who sued over the maps and residents have the right to live under lawful boundaries.

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